An installation plan is a plan when a replacement or system upgrade is required. Regardless of whether a system update or replacement is needed, you should always evaluate the system status of your current equipment.

The first step in developing a plan is to evaluate the current entry level network engineer requirements and consider how your business can change over time. Here are some steps to help you get started.

Consider Usage Requirements

Determine the number of people who will use the network to get a rough idea of the computers and peripherals that should be compatible with the network. Consider how users interact with the system to define the required functionality. For example, what type of network access is needed (for example, does each user have their computer or do several users share the same machine)?

Gather Input

Create a network installs plan that takes into account the needs of the different teams and departments of your organization. Begin by defining the requirements for each group and determine the relative costs of incorporating the various provisions into your network plan. This can be in terms of saving money and Time

Plan for the future

Consider in detail or entirely the direction your organization will take shortly (3-5 years). When you think about the expansion, identify the plans that could affect the needs of your network (new staff and volunteers, office expansion, remote work, installation of new software packages, etc.). Doing this now is cheaper and requires more time than replacing the wrong network later.

Decide who will manage the network

As the network solution becomes more evident, you must determine if there are resources to install and maintain the funds in your company, or if you need consultants or external companies to manage them. As network products have become more comfortable to use and operate over the years, small organizations have discovered that managing their networks daily is becoming increasingly profitable.

Because external support is likely to be required, it is worth considering the use of remote network management tools to reduce the number of on-site visits required to keep the network running smoothly.

Security Issues

Incorporate security into your network plan to protect the most critical information and assets of your organization. Standard network security precautions include passwords, antivirus protection, external firewalls, and data encryption.

Other Considerations

Addressing other problems that may affect the integration, use and maintenance of the network can strengthen your network planning base. These are:

Information Management

Consider ways to manage the information on your server so that users can easily find what they need. Create a standardized naming convention for files on the server and set rules for creating new files and folders.

Remote Access

If part of the staff travels frequently or works from a place outside the office, you can incorporate remote access to your network. This can be done safely through remote dial-up access or over the Internet through a VPN.